Reelected MP Hone Harawira at the launch of his new Mana Party earlier this year. Photo: Revolution

Monday, September 12, 2011

Item: 7614

AUCKLAND (Pacific Scoop/Pacific Media Watch): Outspoken MP and long time Pacific issues advocate Hone Harawira has condemned the lack of Māori representation at this week’s Pacific Islands Forum – but is encouraged by the words of Ban Ki-moon on West Papua.

The leader of the recently formed Mana Party said there was nothing at the official opening of the Forum at the Cloud to suggest that it was held in Aotearoa.

“There was no karakia to start the process, no formalities,” he said. “Even the MCs were taken from the Pacific, which is fine, but there was no hint of Māori representation.” He said there should have been some indigenous representation from Australia as well as New Zealand.

“It was kind of embarrassing. Māori seemed to have been specifically excluded from the process.”

Harawira pointed out that there were no iwi leaders present, no representatives from Parliament such as Pita Sharples of the Maori Party, and not even the Governor-General, Sir Jerry Mateparae, or the Māori King.

He also said there was no reason why Māori leaders could not be included in smaller meetings.

“I’ve attended these meetings in the past and they are usually more informal. This was very formal, very structured – and, dare I say it, very European,” he said.

Foreign Minister Murray McCully disagreed.

“I haven’t personally put together the invitation lists to the side events and so on, but I’m sure you’ll find there’s a very good range of representation of Māori,” he said.

“Seeing the welcome into the Cloud of the Pacific leaders and if you look at the other formal events that are taking place, you’ll see that Māori have quite a place.”

But Harawira said it seemed he and other leaders were intentionally left out.

“I am the leader of an independent party in the Parliament and I received no invitation to any meetings. When I asked to be included in official events, I was told: ‘You’re not part of the New Zealand delegation’,” he said.

“I’m very, very disappointed.”

However, Harawira has taken heart from the words of the UN Secretary-General over West Papua.

“It is a very strong comment, he is the first head of the UN to come out and say that,” he said. “I am encouraged that Ban Ki-moon has heard that much of the call.”

“They are a colonised nation – by Indonesia, in the first instance with the support of the US and since the 1970s with the support of New Zealand as well, through military training, police training and economic aid.

“This provides an opportunity for New Zealand to graceful withdraw ongoing support.”

“I support the call for a fact-finding mission and the investigation of abuses from all sides, and I support New Zealand terminating all military and police assistance to Indonesia.”

He also said Prime Minister John Key, as the new chair of the Pacific Islands Forum, should oversee the establishment of a formal dialogue between the indigenous people of West Papua and the Indonesian government.

“It needs to have the view of putting an end to the human rights abuses of indigenous people and to establish a formal pathway of decolonisation and ultimately the exit of Indonesia from West Papua.”

McCully confirmed today that the West Papuan representatives would have their hearing.

“I have said hello to them and I have asked the director of our Pacific division to meet with them and I understand that’s happening,” he said.

However, he would not confirm whether New Zealand would take up the requested role of mediator or facilitator of West Papuan unity.

Pacific Media Watch is compiled for the Pacific Media Centre as a regional media freedom and educational resource by a network of journalists, students, stringers and commentators.
(cc) Creative Commons

Comments

West Papua is a COLONY, Ban Ki-Moon knows that, and so does anyone who knows the facts.

No government apart from Indonesia has claimed UN resolution 2504 was any kind of endorsement, the ONLY thing 2504 says is that Indonesia conducted something which it decided to call "act of free choice" and that neither Indonesia or the Netherlands were objecting to the event. The UN has NEVER said West Papua has exercised it's right of Self-determination or that the event staged by the Indonesian military in 1969 was any kind of referendum.

East Timor was a Portuguese colony that came under Indonesian rule from 1975 to 1999 by an Indonesian act of war, and West Papua is a Dutch colony that has come under Indonesian rule from May 1963 until now by an American act of manipulation that allowed Freeport to start mining Papua's gold & copper on behalf of US shareholders.

Ban Ki-Moon has already clarified his statement about Papua, West Papuan have right to decide their future. The clarified revealed that Ban Ki-Moon realized that no countries in the world support independence of Papua because they have recognized UN Resolution No.2504 as legal basic that papua part of Indonesia.

Human right abuse in Papua, In this context have you evidence about that ? seeing human rights violations in Papua, we must have real data that can be accounted for and not based on testimony from someone who claims to be an anthropologist or a scientist. Please open your eyes and lets positive thinking about Papua. Every countries have different way to overcome their issue include Papua. If you are scientist or whatever you are, should be objective and fairly.

I am concern about situation in west papua, but let's try to find what the core issue of the west papua. Last week we went to merauke and saw the life in merauke (part of city in Papua) have developed like other city in other province in Indonesia. After that we met one of missionaries and asked him about what triggers make papuan will independence and secede from Indonesia? and he answer that actually papuan just want quit and harmony life as well as thinking forward to make their dreams come true but group and local activist of papua independence always provoke with spreading liar information to make papuan secede and dislike Indonesia.

So what you are writing about ban Ki-moon statement, I think not true and have the provoke meaning, because Ban Ki-Moon on September 13nd have realized that he made mistakes and never mention about UN decolonization committee will take action as soon as possible to discuss in order to save papuans from genocide.

Ban Ki-moon has an excellent idea to finalize papuan struggle of human freedom and democracy. West Papuan people are expecting seriously that UN decolonization committee will take action as soon as possible to discuss in order to save papuans from genocide. Human rights abuse in west Papua so silent but its real and time will come to be known by the international community. SAVE PAPUA RIGHT NOW!